E-Books And Streaming Services: An Ode to the Bookstore

In an age of streaming services and Amazon Kindles, how can bookstores and cinemas survive? Well... they may not. Or maybe only one will.

I love books, I love movies. Yet things are changing.

Bookstores

I visited Shakespeare & Company, the famous bookstore, when I was in Paris. Loved it!

Bookstores are magical places.

The chaotic organisation, the smell of books, the posters of new releases and of course- the always spellbinding children’s section. You can leave the book store whenever you like, and there is the awesome chance to discover a new book.

For example, I live in Sydney, Australia- and every bookstore I’ve been into has resulted in a fantastic experiences. Bookstores pride themselves on their quirky individualist atmosphere. Because of these factors, bookstores are cherished by many. Even though eBooks are rising, and so is Amazon- bookstores can do quite well.

This is because bookstores offer something more than books. They are also very good at earning customer loyalty because they offer such a fantastic experience. That isn’t to say the future is completely rosy for bookstores, but I do think they’ll survive.

Cinema

Will they survive?

Let’s discuss cinemas.

Cinemas used to be magical.

Sure, the popcorn would be overpriced but once the lights got darker, you can immerse yourself in a world for a few hours. I know plenty of people who saw the original Star Wars film in cinemas, or The Sound of Music– and the memories bring alot of joy. Overtime, there has been terrific movies on the big screen: Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy being a favourite. I remember the amount of excitement for an upcoming Harry Potter movie. Movies, and the cinematic experience, is magical.

Yet it’s dying- fast.

Suddenly, movie tickets became too expensive, and the food is overpriced. The movies on offer aren’t that fantastic, People are loud, and they use their phones even after they are told to turn them off. The cinemas themselves, especially in Sydney, are multiplexes. Sadly, individual cinemas have died off. What remains are chains. And they don’t stand a chance against the streaming services. This is partially due to cinemas not making that much money.

Whereas bookstores offer pleasant experiences, brand loyalty and excitement- cinemas do not. So when Netflix offers more movies, the cinema goer has less reason to stay. This leads to people grabbing on to the new hot product.

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, I feel there is a bright future ahead for writers. I understand royalties are declining, and there needs to be fairness in terms of payment. This also means that bookstores will boom, and exist alongside ebooks.

However, cinemas will probably die out. Some may survive, but the streaming services will be dominant. That means Hollywood will undergo a full financial upheavel. Who knows how the Oscars will go on… but there numbers are dropping.

What do you think about bookstores in the age of Amazon? How about cinemas? Comment below, I’d love to read your thoughts!